Does Deadlock have an anti-cheat system?

Deadlock is Valve’s upcoming hero-shooter MOBA title, currently available in a limited playtest environment. However, the game already seems to be affected by players utilizing third-party software to gain an unfair advantage over the current player base. This problem has raised a few concerns in the community about the presence of an anti-cheat system in Deadlock.

In a recent update, the developers provided the option to report players for toxicity and introduced low-priority matchmaking alongside bans for exhibiting foul behavior in the game. The invite-only playtest seems to have restricted a lot of cheaters from entering the game, but it is important to have a few more lines of defense to protect the integrity of the upcoming title.

This article will look into whether Valve's Deadlock has anti-cheat software.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.

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Is there an anti-cheat system in Deadlock?

No, Deadlock does not have a dedicated anti-cheat system at the time of writing this article. However, there are a few safety measures to keep a check on the playtest users and protect the overall gameplay experience to a certain extent. Considering the game is only in its early development stage, the developers might start rolling out security updates as the title gets closer to its public release date.

Gameplay image of Valve's latest hero shooter (Image via Valve)

The September 12, 2024, update for the game introduced a basic behavior monitoring system that can be used to steer clear of toxic players. The punishments include loss in matchmaking services, voice and text chat bans, pausing games, reporting in-game, and being placed into low-priority queues.

If a player is found spamming the report feature too often without any cause, their accounts may face similar punishments. So it is best to use the report option only when necessary and to escalate the issue against actual toxic players. Misreporting can also lead to the account losing access to the whole feature.

Since this game is being developed by Valve, fans can expect an iteration of Valve Anti Cheat (VAC) to be implemented for the game. While the system has received a lot of backlash after its lackluster performance, the devs might be working on developing a more robust system that can deter the surge of cheaters that plague almost every online multiplayer title.

It is important to note that if you are found forming a team and playing alongside a cheater who entered the game through your invite, your account might face similar punishments and even bans.

That said, Valve's shooter title remains protected because of the precautions taken to allow only a handful of players into the playtest phase. So, if you encounter any cheater in the game, make sure to spectate their gameplay first before reporting them for suspicious behavior.

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That is everything you need to know about the anti-cheat system in Deadlock. Be sure to follow Sportskeeda for more updates, guides, and news.

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